What does determine mean?

Definitions for determine
dɪˈtɜr mɪnde·ter·mine

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word determine.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. determine, find, find out, ascertainverb

    establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study

    "find the product of two numbers"; "The physicist who found the elusive particle won the Nobel Prize"

  2. determine, shape, mold, influence, regulateverb

    shape or influence; give direction to

    "experience often determines ability"; "mold public opinion"

  3. determine, setverb

    fix conclusively or authoritatively

    "set the rules"

  4. specify, set, determine, define, fix, limitverb

    decide upon or fix definitely

    "fix the variables"; "specify the parameters"

  5. decide, make up one's mind, determineverb

    reach, make, or come to a decision about something

    "We finally decided after lengthy deliberations"

  6. determineverb

    fix in scope; fix the boundaries of

    "the tree determines the border of the property"

  7. settle, square off, square up, determineverb

    settle conclusively; come to terms

    "We finally settled the argument"

  8. determine, check, find out, see, ascertain, watch, learnverb

    find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort

    "I want to see whether she speaks French"; "See whether it works"; "find out if he speaks Russian"; "Check whether the train leaves on time"

Wiktionary

  1. determineverb

    To set the limits of.

  2. determineverb

    To ascertain definitely; to figure out.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. To DETERMINEverb

    Etymology: determiner, Fr. determino, Latin.

    It is concluded he shall be protector.
    —— It is determin’d, not concluded yet;
    But so it must be, if the king miscarry. William Shakespeare, Richard III.

    More particularly to determine the proper season for grammar, I do not see how it can be made a study, but as an introduction to rhetorick. John Locke.

    Probability, in the nature of it, supposes that a thing may, or may not be so, for any thing that yet appears, or is certainly determined on the other side. Robert South, Sermons.

    John Milton’s subject was still greater than either of the former: it does not determine the fate of single persons or nations, but of a whole species. Joseph Addison, Spectator, №. 267.

    Destruction hangs on every word we speak,
    On every thought, ’till the concluding stroke
    Determines all, and closes our design. Joseph Addison, Cato.

    The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight; so that whatsoever is invisible, either in respect of the fineness of the body itself, or the smallness of the parts, or of the subtilty of the motion, is little enquired. Francis Bacon, Natural History, №. 98.

    No sooner have they climbed that hill, which thus determines their view at a distance, but a new prospect is opened. Francis Atterbury, Sermons.

    The principium individuationis is existence itself, which determines a being of any sort to a particular time and place, incommunicable to two beings of the same kind. John Locke.

    He that has settled in his mind determined ideas, with names affixed to them, will be able to discern their differences one from another, which is really distinguishing. John Locke.

    You have the captives,
    Who were the opposites of this day’s strife:
    We do require them of you, so to use them
    As we shall find their merits and our safety
    May equally determine. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

    A man may suspend the act of his choice from being determined for or against the thing proposed, ’till he has examined it. John Locke.

    As soon as the studious man’s hunger and thirst makes him uneasy, he, whose will was never determined to any pursuit of good cheer, is, by the uneasiness of hunger and thirst, presently determined to eating and drinking. John Locke.

    Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. 1 Sa. xx. 33.

    I do not ask whether bodies so exist, that the motion of one cannot be without the motion of another: to determine this either way, is to beg the question for or against a vacuum. John Locke.

    Now where is he, that will not stay so long
    ’Till sickness hath determin’d me? William Shakespeare, Henry IV.

  2. To Determineverb

    Eve! now expect great tidings, which perhaps
    Of us will soon determine, or impose
    New laws to be observ’d. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. xi.

    It is indifferent to the matter in hand which way the learned shall determine of it. John Locke.

    They were apprehended, and after conviction the danger determined by their deaths. John Hayward.

    All pleasure springing from a gratified passion, as most of the pleasure of sin does, must needs determine with that passion. Robert South, Sermons.

    She soon shall know of us,
    How honourably and how kindly we
    Determine for her. William Shakespeare, Ant. and Cleopatra.

    Revolutions of state, many times, make way for new institutions and forms; and often determine in either setting up some tyranny at home, or bringing in some conquest from abroad. William Temple.

    Now, noble peers, the cause why we are met
    Is to determine of the coronation. William Shakespeare, Richard III.

Wikipedia

  1. Determine

    Determine (April 7, 1951 – September 27, 1972), was an American Thoroughbred race horse. In a racing career which lasted from 1953 through 1955, the California-trained colt ran forty-four times and won eighteen races. His best season was 1954 when he became the first gray horse to win the Kentucky Derby.

ChatGPT

  1. determine

    To determine something means to establish or ascertain the facts, truth, or the nature of something definitively, usually through analysis, examination, or calculation. It can also refer to making a firm decision or arriving at a conclusion about something.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Determineverb

    to fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate

  2. Determineverb

    to set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to an end; to finish

  3. Determineverb

    to fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle

  4. Determineverb

    to fix the course of; to impel and direct; -- with a remoter object preceded by to; as, another's will determined me to this course

  5. Determineverb

    to ascertain definitely; to find out the specific character or name of; to assign to its true place in a system; as, to determine an unknown or a newly discovered plant or its name

  6. Determineverb

    to bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide; as, the court has determined the cause

  7. Determineverb

    to resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead; as, this determined him to go immediately

  8. Determineverb

    to define or limit by adding a differentia

  9. Determineverb

    to ascertain the presence, quantity, or amount of; as, to determine the parallax; to determine the salt in sea water

  10. Determineverb

    to come to an end; to end; to terminate

  11. Determineverb

    to come to a decision; to decide; to resolve; -- often with on

  12. Etymology: [F. dterminer, L. determinare, determinatum; de + terminare limit, terminus limit. See Term.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Determine

    dē-tėr′min, v.t. to put terms or bounds to: to limit: to fix or settle the form or character of: to influence; to put an end to: to define.—v.i. to come to a decision: to resolve.—adj. Deter′minable, capable of being determined, decided, or finished.—ns. Deter′minableness, Determinabil′ity.—adj. Deter′minant, serving to determine.—n. that which serves to determine: in mathematical analysis, a symbolical method used for different processes, as for the solution of equations by inspection.—adj. Deter′mināte, determined or limited: fixed: decisive.—v.t. (Shak.) to determine.—adv. Deter′minātely.—n. Determinā′tion, that which is determined or resolved on: end: direction to a certain end: resolution: fixedness of purpose: decision of character.—adjs. Deter′minātive, that determines, limits, or defines; Deter′mined, firm in purpose: fixed: resolute.—adv. Deter′minedly.—n. Deter′minism, the doctrine that all things, including the will, are determined by causes—the converse of free-will: necessitarianism.—n. Deter′minist.—adj. Determinis′tic. [Fr.,—L. determināre, -ātumde, neg., and terminus, a boundary.]

Suggested Resources

  1. determine

    Song lyrics by determine -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by determine on the Lyrics.com website.

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British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'determine' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2585

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'determine' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4445

  3. Verbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'determine' in Verbs Frequency: #188

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of determine in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of determine in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of determine in a Sentence

  1. Michael Kratsios:

    Over the past few years, anecdotally, we'd heard that a lot of these state and local governments were buying this technology, but it had never been quantified before, we wanted to do an analysis to actually determine the extent to which this technology – actually banned by the federal government – was being procured by state and locals.

  2. Bill Cosby lawyers:

    We look forward to an opportunity to have the truth tried by a jury who can ultimately determine which of the parties was being truthful.

  3. East Brunswick Police Department:

    This is a devastating day for our entire community and we are working to determine exactly what happened.

  4. David Boren:

    We're trying to determine if we have enough evidence and if we can meet the federal standards to prevail in court, and, if so, we'll take action, this is not a place that wants racists or bigots on our campus or will tolerate it so I think you have to send a very strong signal.

  5. Collings Foundation:

    Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were on that flight and we will be forever grateful to the heroic efforts of the first responders at Bradley, the Collings Foundation flight team is fully cooperating with officials to determine the cause of the crash of the B-17 Flying Fortress and will comment further when details become known.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

determine#1#1914#10000

Translations for determine

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"determine." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 Nov. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/determine>.

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    a small contrasting part of something
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